Christmas on the Home Front, by Mike Brown

Christmas on the Home Front, by Mike Brown
Sutton Publishing, 2004
187 pages plus bibliography and index, illustrations and a few photos scattered throughout
Library: 940.53 BRO

An excellent book, not only for someone interested in WWII from a historical standpoint, but also for fiction authors doing research. Highly recommended.

Description
The outbreak of war in 1939 saw the disappearance of many traditional British celebrations. Guy Fawkes' Night went immediately - gunpowder production was needed for the war effort and bonfires contravened the blackout. Summer holidays became a thing of the past and Easter all but disappeared as chocolate - and even real eggs - went 'on the ration.' In spite of this the nation remained determined to celebrate Christmas as a time of family and community; a time when war could be set aside; if only for a day.

Drawing upon personal recollections, contemporary Mass Observation reports, newspaper articles, advertisements and personal and archive photographs, Mike Brown looks at each wartime Christmas on the British Home Front, from 1939 to 1944. He explores how people celebrated Christmas despite the problems of shortages, rationing, the blackout, Luftwaffe raids and the absence of family members who had been called up or evacuated.

What was the weather like? What was on the wireless? What were the popular records and sheet music of the time? What films were showing at the cinema? What about the pantomimes, shows and concerts, parties, decorations and trees. Gifts and food are discussed with a look at the presents available, and in vogue. As shortages really took hold, the various make-do-and-mend solutions are described, and insights are gained into how people adapted food recipes to cope.

Life in Britain changed dramatically as the war progressed, the annual celebration of Christmas provides fascinating yearly 'snapshots' illuminating the changes over six years of conflict.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. 1939: The First Wartime Christmas
Christmas Among the Evacuees
2. 1940: The Second Christmas
The Christmas Raids
3. 1941: The Third Christmas
Christmas in the Countryside
4. 1942: The Fourth Christmas
Christmas Weddings
1943: The Fifth Christmas
Parties
1944: The Last Wartime Christmas
Postscript
Bibliography
Index

Photos
3 unidentified girls and 1 unidentified boy, January 1940 evacuees at Hastings
King George VI, dressed in Naval Uniform, making Christmas broadcast
Ambrose (but not his orchestra)
Christmas 1939 in Eastbourne, lots of unidentified evacuee children
Unidentified people in a London tube
Ethel and Doris Waters ("Gert and Daisy")
Unidentified man and woman in canteen in St. John's Wood tube station
4 unidentified children sleeping on bunks in tube station, with a Christmas tree
3 women, 1 man, unidentified Underground staff decoration tree
Billy Cotton (but not his band)
Two unidentified men playing soccer, December 1941. Charlton Athletic v Stoke
Unidentified woman in Needlewoman & Needlecraft ad
Betti Thomson and her husband Frank, Christmas 1943
The Crazy Gang in advert: Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen, Jimmy Nervo, Teddy Knox, Charlie Naughton and Jimmy Gold
Two unidentified female Air Raid Wardens and 8 unidentified children showing off their Christmas present of apples
Unidentified civilians, and two women in the Kings Cross Canteen
Unidentified American soldiers and Red Cross Nurses, and British children (all girls) opening presents